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Drawing Crazy Patterns – CLAREMONTISM: “Body and Soul”

In this feature, I spotlight five scenes/moments from within comic book stories that fit under a specific theme (basically, stuff that happens frequently in comics). Here is an archive of all the patterns we’ve spotlighted so far.

This is a special CLAREMONTISM edition of Drawing Crazy Patterns, honoring one of the bits that Chris Claremont frequently features in his work (especially his X-Men work).

Today, we take a look at the classic Claremont mind control phrase “Body and Soul.”
Enjoy!

It appears that Claremont first used the phrase while scripting the 1976 Daredevil Annual over a Marv Wolfman plot (art by George Tuska and Frank Chiaramonte). Black Panther is being controlled, causing Daredevil to note…

I believe the first use of the phrase in the X-Men was in X-Men #128 (art by John Byrne and Terry Austin), when Moira MacTaggert’s son, the demented and powerful mutant, Proteus, said it to her (while possessing his father’s body – so gross)…

During the first issue of the Magik mini-series (by Claremont and John Buscema), Belasco speaks about controlling Illyana Rasputin…

In Uncanny X-Men #229 (by Claremont, Marc Silvestri and Dan Green), the new Reaver known as Pretty Boy tries to control Dazzler and turn her into a Reaver, as well…

In Uncanny X-Men #256 (by Claremont, Jim Lee and Scott Williams), Psylocke is dealing with her new asian body as her mind is being assaulted by the Hand and the Mandarin…

Feel free to write in the comments section if you want to suggest other examples of the phrase being used!

And if you have a future idea for Drawing Crazy Patterns (Claremontism or not), let me know by e-mailing me at bcronin@comicbookresources.com!